Those looted Bihar being punished: Sushil Modi on Lalu Prasad’s conviction

Earlier in the day, the RJD supremo was convicted in the ₹139.5 crore Doranda treasury embezzlement case by a special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court in Ranchi.

Former Bihar deputy chief minister and the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP's) Rajya Sabha MP Sushil Modi on Tuesday said those who had looted the state were now being punished while speaking on the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) supremo Lalu Prasad’s conviction.

Former Bihar deputy chief minister Sushil Modi.  (Vipin Kumar/HT file photo)

Modi said, “We approached the Patna High Court, demanding a CBI inquiry. I am happy that those who looted Bihar are being punished." He added Prasad is no longer relevant in the state's politics.

Earlier in the day, the RJD supremo was convicted in the ₹139.5 crore Doranda treasury embezzlement case by a special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court in Ranchi.

According to a CBI counsel, the quantum of Lalu Prasad Yadav's punishment will be pronounced on February 18.

On January 29, the special CBI court in the treasury embezzlement case had reserved its verdict. Lalu, who has served as Bihar chief minister and Union railways minister, was earlier sentenced to 14 years in jail in four other fodder scam cases.

Apart from the veteran politician, the other prime accused in the embezzlement case includes former MP Jagdish Sharma, the then Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chairman Dhruv Bhagat, Animal Husbandry secretary Beck Julius and Animal Husbandry assistant director Dr K M Prasad.

Prasad's lawyer said he has given an application in the CBI special court seeking instruction to jail authorities to shift the RJD supremo to RIMS, Ranchi, on the ground of the RJD leader’s poor health. The court is set to hear the application at 2pm.